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How We Chose Our List of Places to Go in 2014

A view of Table Mountain, which looks over Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town is No. 1 on our list of the Places to Go in 2014.Credit
Samantha Reinders for The New York Times

Each January, the editors of the Travel section publish our Places to Go issue. And each year after it runs, readers wonder why their favorite destination was overlooked or why their least favorite made the top 10. In order to add some clarity to the process, we’ve decided to answer some frequently asked questions about how we chose our list of 52 Places to Go in 2014.

How do you start the process?

The first thing we do is contact dozens of contributing writers — many of them based overseas — for suggestions. We receive a few hundred ideas, and start with those.

What are you looking for in those ideas?

We aim for a selection of places that we expect to be particularly compelling in the coming year; reasons might include a museum opening, a new transportation option or a historical anniversary. So even though cities like Paris, London and Tokyo are always exciting, they didn’t make the cut this year (though all three have appeared on previous lists).

How do you narrow it down to the final list?

We discuss the merits and drawbacks of each suggested destination in a marathon-length meeting (or two) before cutting down the list. Our main goal is to have a variety of regions and interests, with some surprises mixed in. We also try for a mix of scale, including cities, regions and even entire countries.

What made Cape Town the top choice?

By November, we had a strong sense that Cape Town would be our No. 1 destination, but the subsequent death of Nelson Mandela made the choice all the more meaningful; the South African leader spent years gazing at the city (and Table Mountain beyond) from his cell on Robben Island. Of course much has changed since then, and that is what we look for in a top pick: a destination that has its own transformative story to tell. From Rio (2013) to Sri Lanka (2010) to Beirut (2009), the places that land at No. 1 are chosen because at this moment there is a defining reason to go.

My favorite destination didn’t make the list. Why not?

There are, of course, an almost endless number of appealing places in the world — and plenty of different reasons to travel. Our selection is just that — a selection — and by no means comprehensive. We invite you to contribute a “Reader’s Choice” item this year. Go to our interactive feature for more information on how to submit your own pick.

A version of this article appears in print on January 12, 2014, on Page TR5 of the New York edition with the headline: How We Chose Our List. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe